Apparatus for forming bulk packages



Nov. 8, 1966 G. c. GETTELMAN 3,283,573

APPARATUS FOR FORMING BULK PACKAGES Filed March 26, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 E m m w m m A ull l N A m w E G C M E B M a Nov. 8, 1966 e. c. GETTELMAN APPARATUS FOR FORMING BULK PACKAGES Filed March 26, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR G/LBERT C GETTt-ZMA/V BY I Mm @TORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet l3 l I l l I l G- C. GETTELMAN APPARATUS FOR FORMING BULK PACKAGES Nov. 8, 1966 Filed March 26, 1964 INVENTOR 0/1. BERT GA'TTH MAN United States Patent 3,283,673 APPARATUS FOR FORMING BULK PACKAGES Gilbert C. Gettelman, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Mium, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 354,986 12 Claims. (CI. 93-36) This invention relates to apparatus for forming bulk packages and deals particularly with an apparatus useful in holding a bulk container in proper position for applying steal straps or similar bands to the end portions of the container walls to hold the parts assembled.

During recent years, the use of containers made of corrugated paperboard or solid fiber for containing bulk materials has greatly increased. Containers of this type are capable of carrying large loads of heavy materials, and are usually considerably less expensive than barrels or steel drums previously used for this purpose. Some of these containers are rectangular in section, and others are hexagonal or octagonal in cross-section, the narrower panels of such containers better resisting the tendency of the panels to bulge. Containers of this type usually comprise a sleeve-like body having flaps or flanges hingedly connected to the ends of each panel. At least one end of such containers is closed by a cap-like closure shaped to fit the cross section of the body and including marginal flanges which interlock with the flanges on the body to form an effective closure. Steel straps, wires, or similar banding means, usually encircle the flaps at the end or ends of the containers to hold the end closures in place.

One of the difiiculties with containers of this type lies in the fact that they are diflicult to assemble. When an end closure is applied to a sleeve, the flaps or flanges on the body must be held in position overlying the external surface of the body while the fastening band is applied. As an example, in an octagonal container, the flaps on all eight sides of the container must be held in position overlying the end portion of the container wall until the encircling band is in place. This would require the services of four men to close the eight flaps without the use of a mechanical aid. It is an object of the present invention to simplify the operation of forming such containers.

To better understand the problem, it should be understood that containers of the type in question are often made of high strength corrugated board or even double walled corrugated board. This material is resistant to folding even along precreased fold lines, and there is a natural tendency for the flanges to return to the plane of the panel from which they are folded. Thus in the forming operation the flap structure overlying each panel must be held in place until restrained from unfolding by the encircling band. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for holding the flange structures folded during the banding operation.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a jig or form into which the sleeve is inserted and which is preferably substantially of approximately equal height to the shell-like body. A series of toggles are pivotally supported by the forming device, one such toggle being being located outwardly of an end of each panel of the container near the center thereof. While these toggles are in an outwardly pivoted position, the flanges at an end of the container may be folded to overlie the corresponding container panel. By merely swinging the toggle arm inwardly into engagement with the flange structure, the flanges will remain folded until the band is placed in flange encircling position.

A feature of the present invention resides in a structure of the type described in which the toggle arms en- 3,283,573 Federated Nov. 8, 1966 gage the lower portions of the uppermost flange structure just below the desired location of the band. After all of the flange structures have been folded and all the toggle arms have been swung into position to hold the flange structures folded, the band may be placed into container encircling position with the toggle arms supporting the band until the band is tightened. At this point, the toggle arms may be swung outwardly so that the container may be removed. The operation may be easily accomplished by one person, normally in considerably less time than the four men that would be required to close the eight flaps without the use of a mechanical aid.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that an open top container may be banded at both ends through the use of the apparatus. In accomplishing this result, the container body is placed in the form with the open end uppermost, and a plug which fits snugly within the container body is inserted into the container end. The flanges of each panel are then folded to lie outwardly of the panels to which they are hinged and held in this folded position by the toggle arms. The band is then placed to encircle the flange structures outwardly of the plug and the band tightened, the plug permitting the band to be drawn tight without collapsing the container. This completes the upper end of the container structure.

The lower end of the container is then closed by invetting the body, placing a cover in position overlying the container ends, and folding the cover flanges into interlocking relation with flanges on the lower end of the body, the folded flange structures again being held in folded condition by the toggle arms. The band may then be positioned to encircle the flange structures and tightened, the end closure preventing the inward collapse of the container.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a means for properly locating the container panels in the form. The bottom of the forming apparatus is provided with a cone-shaped forming device including a series of radially extending arms designed to extend within the container and to the lines of juncture between the panels of the container body. As the corners of the body are of greater radius from the center of the container than any other portion of these walls, the arms support the body in a desired position on the base of the base of the former so that the toggle links or arms will be substantially centered with respect to the wall panels.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that containers of different lengths but of the same body circumference may be assembled in the same forming apparatus through the use of a simple attachment. This may be accomplished by either adjustably supporting the bottom of the former and the generally cone-shaped member mounted thereupon, or else an auxiliary base may be placed in the form to overlie the original base and which may include the generally cone-shaped member for holding the body in proper angular relation so that a relatively short container wall may be banded.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus in readiness for use.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the same apparatus after the body sleeve has been inserted therein and the flange structures are partially folded.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the upper portion of the same apparatus with the reinforcing plug in place and with the toggle arms swung into position to hold the flaps in folded form.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the upper portion of the container and reinforcing plugs, showing a toggle arm in flap holding position.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus, showing the plug in partially removed position.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 showing a toggle arm used in folding the interlocked flap structure of the container wall and enclosure.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the inverted container with the upper banded end extending downwardly and the bottom closure panel overlying the uppermost end of the container.

FIGURE 8 discloses the assembled container and removable container cover in exploded relation.

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic View of the blank used to form the bottom closure of the container.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the blank forming the removable top of the container.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic view of the blank forming the side wall of the container.

FIGURE 12 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus showing an attachment which may be used in the forming of containers of similar periphery, but of shorter length.

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the attachment shown in FIGURE 12.

As indicated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the former A is preferably mounted upon a base panel 10 including a central support 11 which supports a supporting disk 12 and a similar upper disk or plate 13. Bearings 14 are provided between the plates 12 and 13 so that the upper portion of the apparatus may be rotated about a central vertical axis. The supporting base disk 13 supports a series of pairs of radially extending arms which are equally angularly spaced and which are equal in number to the number of panels forming the container B. These radially extending pairs of arms 15 are shown as being eight in number as the container B which i illustrated is octagonal. A toggle supporting arm is supported between each pair of radial arms 15 to extend upwardly therefrom in generally vertical relation. Braces 17 connect the arms 16 on a plane spaced below the upper ends of the arms 16, the braces comprising a ringshape reinforcement to hold the arms 16 in fixed position. Obviously, thi specific construction is a matter of choice and comprises a practical construction where the apparatus is made of wood. It made of metal, the arms 16 would be welded to an encircling ring. It is preferable, however, that the frame of the former be open so that the interior 'of the former may be readily viewed.

A disk 19 overlies the arms 15 and is secured in concentric relation to the base. A container forming and positioning apparatus indicated in general by the numeral 20 is supported upon the disk 19. The former 20 includes a series of webs 21 which extend on radial planes from the center of the disk 19 and project vertically from the disk 19. The lower outer ends 22 of the webs 21 are at a proper radius from the center of the disk 19 to extend into the corners of the container B. The webs 21 are equally angularly spaced and are equal in number to the number of panels in the container B and are designed to fit snugly into the corners of the container between the various wall panels thereof.

The upper portions of the webs 21 inclined upwardly and inwardly along inclined edges 23. The upper ends of the webs 21 are connected and held in proper position by an upper disk 24 which forms an upper closed end to the positioning apparatus. Thus the positioning apparatus 20 is in affect a truncated cone which is designed to locate the container with respect to the forming device. The inclined edges 23 of the webs act to guide the corners of the body into proper angular position on the base.

The toggle link 25 is pivotally secured by a pivot 26 to the upper end of each toggle supporting arm 16. As indicated in FIGURES 4 and 6 of the drawings, each toggle arm 25 is slotted as indicated at 27 to provide a bifurcated end which straddles the upper end of the supporting arm 16 and through which the pivot 26 extends. The pivots 26 are arranged with their axes on a common horizontal plane, and the pivot axes are tangent to a hypothetical circle coaxial with the base of the apparatus. The free end of each toggle arm 25 is arcuate as indicated at 29 throughout most of its area, the arcuate edge 29 terminating in a projecting finger 30 which limits the inward pivotal movement of the toggle arm. The finger 30 of each arm is flush with the edge thereof which is uppermost when the toggle arms are in container engaging position so as to form a support for the strapping or banding member.

The former also includes a plug 31 which comprises a pane-l out to conform with the interior of the container wall B which in this case is octagonal as indicated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. As is indicated in FIGURES 2 and 4 of the drawings, a diametrically extending handle 32 is secured to the upper surface of the plug 31 to extend normally with respect thereto. The handle 32 is provided with projecting end portions 33 which extend beyond a periphery of the plug 31. The projections 33 are spaced above the upper surface of the plug 31 and locate the plug so that it will be inwardly of the band 34 when the banding is applied. The handle 32 also includes hand holds 35 by means of which the plug may be manipulated.

The purpose of the arrangement is to produce a container B having a closed lower end and a reinforced upper end. One such container is shown in FIGURE 11 in blank form. The blank is divided into intermediate panels 36 wall panel of equal width and end panels 37 and 39 of similar width by means of parallel fold lines 40. An anchoring flap 41 is hinged to one end panel along a fold line 42 and is stitched or otherwise secured in overlapping relation to the other end panel 37 of the series. Thus when the flap 41 is secured, the member illustrated in FIGURE 11 is in tubular form.

Reinforcing flaps 43 are hingedly connected to the upper edges of the wall panels 36, 37, and 39 along a wide score or double fold line 44. Inner reinforcing flaps 45 are hingedly connected to the outer reinforcing flaps 43 along a parallel fold line 46. In a similar manner, reinforcing flaps 47 are hingedly connected to the lower edges of the side walls 36, 37, and 39 along a parallel fold line 49. The manner of folding these flaps will be later described.

The container bottom is indicated in general by the numeral 50' in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. The bottom 50 includes an octagonal closure panel 51 of proper dimensions to fit completely over the end of the tubular wall. The sides of the bottom panel 51 are hingedly connected along fold lines 52 to outer reinforcing flaps 53. The flaps 53 are hingedly connected along double score lines 54 to inner reinforcing flaps 55. The terms outer and inner which have been used .in the description of the reinforcing flaps is merely a relative term used because the reinforcing flaps 45 and reinforcing flaps 55 of the body structure and top and bottom closure respectively fold inwardly of the so called outer reinforcing flaps 43 and 53 respectively.

The top closure is indicated in FIGURE 10 by the numeral 56. The top closure in the construction illustrated is removable and accordingly is not banded or strapped. The top closure 56 includes an octagonal end wall panel 57, alternate sides of which are connected along fold lines 59 to outer reinforcing flaps 66. The outer reinforcing flaps 60 are hingedly connected to inner reinforcing flaps 61 along fold lines 62 which are parallel to the fold lines 59. The remaining edges of the octagonal closure panel 57 are connected along fold lines 63 to outer reinforcing panels 64 which in turn are connected to inner reinforcing flaps 65 along fold lines 66 which are parallel to the fold lines 63. The ends of the outer reinforcing flaps 64 are hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 67 to corner flaps 69.

FIGURES l2 and 13 of the drawings disclose an attachment 70 which is used for assistance in setting up bulk containers which are of similar diameter to the containers described but which have shorter wall panels. In other words, the blank 71 which forms the wall structure may be modified in the manner indicate-d diagrammatically in FIGURE 11 of the drawings to terminate along the broken line 72, the lower flaps of the modified container being indicated by the broken line 73. The side walls are otherwise identical to those disclosed in FIGURE 11 and the top and bottom closures 56 and 50 are identical to those described.

The attachment 70 includes a bottom panel 74 which is shown circular in shape and which is of similar size to the panel 19 previously described. The panel 74 is provided with diametrically opposed projections 75 which are slotted as indicated at 76 to embrace two opposed toggle supporting arms 16. The remainder of the periphery of the panel 74 fits between the toggle supporting arms.

A truncated pyramidal guide or locating device 77 is mounted upon the upper surface of the panel 70. This structure includes a series of angularly spaced webs 79 similar to the webs 21 previously described and having upwardly and inwardly inclined edges 80 similar to the edges 23. The webs 79 are equal in number to the number of sides of the container and support a top disk 81 identical to the disk 24. In other words, the attachment 70 is virtually a duplication of the structure 20 and is designed to rest upon the top panel 24 of the guide element 20.

In operation, the top 56 may be folded and secured together independently of the apparatus. The flaps 64 are folded into right angular relation to the octagonal panel 57 and the flaps 65 are folded to lie inwardly of the flaps 64. The flaps 60 are then folded up outwardly of the corner flaps 6-9, and the flaps 61 are folded inwardly of the corner flaps 69 and the structure is stapled together so that the flange structures of adjoining edges of the panel are connected by staples.

In the formation of the container B, the tubular wall structure 71 is inserted into the apparatus with the webs 21 extending into the corners between the adjacent panels 36, 37, and 3-9. This operation properly locates the wall panels on the base. The flanges 47 at the lower edge of the walls are folded outwardly as indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, so that the lower edge 49 of the side walls rests on the base panel 19.

The flaps 43, 45 of each side wall are then folded, the inner flaps 45 being folded into substantially surface contact with the outer flaps 43, and the connected flaps are folded so that the inner flaps 45 lie between the outer flaps 43 and the side walls of the container. As each flap structure is folded, the corresponding toggle link 25 is swung inwardly against the outer of the folded flaps so as to hold the flap structure folded. This operation may be readily accomplished by a single operator as each flap structure may be folded individually of the others. When all of the flaps have been folded, and when all of the toggle links are in flap retaining position, the structure appears generally in the form illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The plug 31 is then inserted down into the interior of the top of the container into the position illustrated in FIG- URE 4 of the drawings. When the plug is in place, a steel strap or similar fastening element may be placed in position to encircle the flanges and the band may be drawn tight and secured in flange encircling position. This completes the assembly of the upper end of the container.

It will be noted that the banding of the top of the container may be easily accomplished by one person, as the band is supported by the projecting fingers 30 of the toggle links 25. Furthermore, the band may be drawn tight due to the presence of the plug 31 inwardly thereof. When the top has been handed, the plug 31 is removed.

6 This plug removal is simplified by pivoting the plug toward the vertical position shown in FIGURE 5. The tubular body formed by the blank 71 is then removed from the form after the toggle links 25 :have been pivoted outwardly and the body is then inserted into the apparatus in inverted position.

In closing the bottom, the bottom closure 50 is placed across the end of the tubular body and each flange structure is individually folded and held in place by the corresponding toggle link 25. The bottom reinforcing flanges 47 are folded outwardly into a common plane, the outer reinforcing flanges 53 of the bottom closure 50 overlying the body flanges 47. The inner reinforcing flaps 55 are folded around and beneath the body flaps 47 so that the body flaps are sandwiched between the end closure flaps 53 and 55. Thus the flanges of the cover are interlocked with the flanges of the body and the combined flanges are folded down against the tubular body and are held in folded position by the toggle links 25. A steel strap or fastening band 82 is then clamped about the folded flange structure, the band being supported by the projecting fingers 30 of the toggle links 25 during this action. The octagonal panel 51 of the bottom closure keeps the body portion from collapsing inwardly during the ban-ding operation. At the completion of the banding operation, the toggle links 25 are pivoted outward out of container engaging position, and the completed container may be removed.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my apparatus for forming containers, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without depart-ing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for use in assembing a multi-walled container having a series of similar wall panels connected in tubular relation, the panels having substantially rectangular outer reinforcing flaps secured to an end thereof, and inner reinforcing flaps secured to said outer reinforcing flaps along fold lines parallel to those securing the outer reinforcing flaps to said wall panels, the apparatus including a base of a size greater than the cross-sectional area of the tubular container,

means on said base engageable with the container for positioning the walls of the same in predetermined relation to said base,

supporting means supported above said base a distance substantially equal to the height of the container resting on said base, a series of toggle links pivotally supported by said supporting means,

said links being equal in number to the number of panels in said container and swingable toward and away from the container walls of a container on said base,

said links being adapted to hold said reinforcing flaps against the container walls in folded relation with the inner reinforcing flaps between the outer reinforcing flaps and said container walls when swung toward said walls,

said links, when engaging said flaps, forming a means of support for a banding strap extending around said flaps.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said toggle links have a flat surface which is uppermost in flap engaging position of said links.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said supporting means includes a series of arms extending upwardly from said base and equal in number to the Wall panels of said container.

4. An apparatus for use in assembling an octagonal container having connected wall panels and flaps hinged to an end thereof, the apparatus including a base of a size at least as great as the cross-section of the container,

positioning means on said base engageable with the container Walls to hold the container in a fixed angular position thereon,

supporting means supported above said base a distance substantially equal to the height of the container wall panels when on said base,

a toggle link pivotally supported by said supporting means outwardly of each of said wall panels,

said links being pivoted on a common horizontal plane with the pivot axes tangent to a hypothetical circle concentric with the base,

said links being 'swingable from a position extending outwardly from said container to an inwardly extending position,

said links being of proper length to engage the container flaps when folded outwardly of the walls to which they are hinged to hold said flaps folded.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which said toggle links are provided with a substantially fiat surface which is uppermost when said links are in flap engaging position.

6. The structure of claim 4 and in which said positioning means on said base comprises an upwardly and inwardly tapered structure including webs extending into the corner between adjoining wall panels of said container.

7. The structure of claim 4 and in which said base is axially rotatable about a vertical axis.

8. The structure of claim 4 and in which said supporting means including a series of supporting arms extending upwardly from said base in angularly spaced relation and to which said toggle links are pivoted.

9. The structure of claim 4 and including an adapter removably supported on said positioning means on said base and having thereon a similar positioning means projecting upwardly therefrom.

10. The structure of claim 1 and including a rigid member releasably engaged within the flanged end of the container and against the wall panels to prevent inward collapse of the wall panels during the banding operation.

11. The structure of claim 4 and including a rigid member releasably engaged against the inner surfaces of the flanged end of the container to prevent inward collapse of the walls during the banding operation.

12. An apparatus for use in assembling a multi-wa-lled container having a series of similar Wall panels connected in tubular relation, the panels having substantially rectangular reinforcing fiaps secured to an end thereof, the apparatus including a base of a size greater than the cross-sectional area of the tubular container, means on said base engageable with the container for positioning the walls of the same in predetermined relation to said base,

supporting means supported above said base a distance substantially equal to the height of the container resting on said base,

a series of toggle links pivotally supported by said supporting means,

said links being equal in number to the number of panels in said container and swingable toward and away from the container walls of a container on said base,

said links being adapted to hold said reinforcing flaps against the container walls when swung toward said walls,

said links, when enganging said flaps, forming a means of support for a banding strap extending around said flaps.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,696,612 12/1954 Rickus 9355.1 XR 2,905,066 9/1959 Winkler 93-55.1 3,133,482 5/1964 Armstrong et al 93-551 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR USE IN ASSEMBLING A MULTI-WALLED CONTAINER HAVING A SERIES OF SIMILAR WALL PANELS CONNECTED IN TUBULAR RELATION, THE PANELS HAVING THE SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR OUTER REINFORCING FLAPS SECURED TO AN END THEREOF, AND INNER REINFORCING FLAPS SECURED TO SAID OUTER REINFORCING FLAPS ALONG FOLD LINES PARALLEL TO THOSE SECURING THE OUTER REINFORCING FLAPS TO SAID WALL PANELS, THE APPARATUS INCLDUING A BASE OF A SIZE GREATER THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF THE TUBULAR CONTAINER, MEANS ON SAID BASE ENGAGEABLE WITH THE CONTAINER FOR POSITIONING THE WALLS OF THE SAME IN PREDETERMINED RELATION TO SAID BASE, SUPPORTING MEANS SUPPORTED ABOVE SAID BASE A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE HEIGHT OF THE CONTAINER RESTING ON SAID BASE, 